In general, converter consoles are utilized for charging portable radios within a vehicle and/or for converting portable radios to mobile operations so that duplicate equipment is not required. Since a portable radio might be inserted into a converter console many times each day, it is essential that the installation is easy and reliable. Further, electrical contacts between the portable radio and the console must be reliable and continuous under various conditions, including travel in rough terrain and after years of wear. Finally, prevention of theft and damage while the portable radio is contained within the console is very important.
The only known prior art is a converter console described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,091,318, entitled "Charger/Converter Console with Reel Arrangement", issued May 23, 1978 to the same assignee. That console is designed to accept various sizes (lengths) of portable radios and, therefore, does not provide the amount of theft prevention that is required. Also, since the portable radio is essentially cantilevered in the console, driving over rough terrain and excessive wear can reduce the reliability of the electrical connections.